How to Answer "Walk Me Through Your Resume" in an Interview

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In an interview, a hiring manager might start things off with “walk me through your resume.” This classic interview question sounds simple enough, but it trips up more people than you’d think.

When employers say “walk me through your resume,” they want to learn more about your educational and career history, as well as why you’re interviewing for the position.

Follow our tips to deliver a clear, confident answer that connects your background to the role and shows why you’re the best fit for the position.

Summarize your educational background

Start your answer with an outline of your educational background. If you’re a recent graduate, talk about relevant coursework or projects you completed that relate to the job.

Interviewers are only looking for information that highlights why you’re qualified for the position, so keep your answer to under two minutes. If anything requires explaining, the interviewer will ask you follow-up questions.

Do:

Talk about specific accomplishments that show how qualified you are to do the job.
Keep this part of the answer short if you’ve been out of school for more than a couple years.

Don't:

Ramble on about your childhood ambitions or early education.
Mention every class you’ve ever taken.

Describe your work history

Next, go over your work history. Your professional background is what matters the most when walking the interviewer through your resume and should make up the bulk of your response.

Explain how you began your career and what led you to this point. Tell a coherent story of your career progression by providing a logical reason for each move and sharing what you learned from those experiences to show how your past choices point toward the role you’re interviewing for.

When discussing your work history, always:

Use anecdotes that show your passion for the job you’re interviewing for
Mention accomplishments that prove you have the skills to succeed at the job
Research the company you’re interviewing at and use your answer to highlight how your experience makes you capable of tackling the challenges it’s facing

Don’t mention every job you’ve ever held. Only discuss past positions that demonstrate your preparedness to meet the requirements of the job.

Do:

Use examples that show your passion for the job.
Mention your accomplishments.
Research the company you’re interviewing at.

Don't:

Mention every job you’ve ever held.
Talk negatively about your previous jobs.

If you have employment gaps on your resume, explain them while focusing on what you learned or what skills you picked up during your time of unemployment.

Explain how this job fits into your long-term goals

Finish your answer by discussing how the job you’re interviewing for fits into your long-term career goals.

When discussing your goals, focus on how the company benefits from hiring you, not why you will benefit from the job.

Do:

Show the hiring manager that your personal career goals align with the needs of the company.
Focus on why the company would benefit from you working there.

Don't:

Talk about why the job would personally benefit you.
Ramble about your hopes and dreams.

Employers want to know how you’ll help them achieve their goals and that you’re worth investing in. Showing them that your personal career goals align with the needs of the company helps convince them that you’d be a strong, long-term employee.

@resumegenius Just like questions such as “Tell me about yourself,” interviewers ask this question to understand your background, your career journey, and why you’re interested in this role. ❌ Don’t just repeat what’s on your resume. ❌ And definitely don’t tell your entire life story. Focus on the highlights that connect your education, experience, and motivation to the position you’re applying for. ⚠️ Comment “GUIDE” to get our Interview Questions Guide, with answers to 26 of the most common questions. #jobinterview #interviewtips #interviewquestion #jobsearching ♬ original sound – Resume Genius | Career Tips

Walk me through your resume sample answer

First, here’s a sample answer to “walk me through your resume” with some common mistakes:

Bad example

“I’ve wanted to be a librarian since I was 7, when I used to arrange all of my books at home in alphabetical order. Then, at elementary school, I used to spend my lunch hour in the school library, helping the librarian put books back on the shelves and tidy up. It was just such a lovely, relaxing place to be. I also volunteered in the library at my high school for a few years. At college I majored in Education, and I particularly enjoyed modules on linguistic diversity, ethics and literacy.

In terms of my work experience, I had jobs as a newspaper delivery girl and supermarket cashier in high school, and as a telesales operative and library assistant at college. I’ve been a volunteer at my local community library too.

This job would let me fulfill my childhood dream of working as a professional librarian, and spending my life surrounded by books.”

This candidate spends too much time discussing abstract goals and personal anecdotes. While they are relevant to the target position, they end up distracting from what actually makes the candidate qualified.

Now, here’s an example of what a good answer to “walk me through your resume” looks like:

Good example

“I’ve always been dedicated to a career as a librarian, as you can see from the three years I spent volunteering in the school library during high school. This time spent volunteering gave me practical experience of working with library materials and resources, and even using library software like Lucidea Integrated Library Systems. In college, I majored in Education because I knew I wanted to work as a school librarian, and understood this degree would give me the knowledge needed to work with children in a school and classroom setting.

I also worked as a library assistant in college, which helped me learn about the customer-facing side of a librarian’s role. Since then, I’ve volunteered in my local community library, where I had the chance to develop a new, cost-efficient cataloguing and returns system. I’m sure this system could benefit the program here at Smith High School, given the budget cuts that schools in the district are facing.

Working at Smith High School would allow me to fulfill my ambition of making a real difference as a school librarian. It would let me put into practice my knowledge of running a library efficiently and cheaply, as well as giving me the chance to turn the library into a welcoming space to help students achieve.”

This candidate not only makes a strong case for why they’re qualified for the target position, but also demonstrates how they can help the school respond to budget cuts.

When preparing a sample answer for “walk me through your resume”, be sure to review why are you suitable for this job sample answers as well. This will help you start your interview off strong.

Additional interview resources

Here are a few other resources you can use to help you face your interview with confidence:

Years of Experience

Articles Written

Committed to empowering job seekers of all experience levels to take the next step in their careers, Ida helps professionals navigate the job hunt from start to finish.

After graduating from New College of Florida with a B.A. in Philosophy and Chinese Language and Culture, Ida moved to Hong Kong to begin her own career journey and finally settled in Taiwan. Her insights on resume writing, interview strategies, and career development have been featured on websites such as LawCareers.net, Digital Marketer, and SheCanCode.

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